Embodiments of the present invention relate to protective containers for electronic equipment, and in particular to enclosure systems and methods for protecting telecommunications equipment from electromagnetic fields.
A nuclear detonation far above the earth's surface, for example at 25 miles above sea level, produces an electromagnetic field known as a high altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP). Such pulses or energy spikes can cause damage and failure to power systems, telephone networks, electronic devices, and computers across a large geographical area. Systems connected to power lines and telephone wires are particularly vulnerable to the current and voltage surges resulting from an electromagnetic pulse.
During a HEMP event, damage to telecommunications equipment can be prevented or ameliorated through the use of a protective metallic shielding. For example, telecommunications equipment may be stored in a room having HEMP protected walls. Current approaches for protecting telecommunications racks and enclosures from HEMP exposure are often costly, however, and not well suited for efficient use with standard sized telecommunications storage facilities and components. For example, in some cases custom protected rooms are built to store telecommunications racks. In other cases, vendors lease multiple telecommunications rooms or spaces in which to store oversized hardened enclosures.
What is needed are improved HEMP protection systems and methods that provide shielding to standard telecommunications rack and device components, while utilizing minimal floor space or meeting other spatial dimension requirements for a telecommunications room or space. Embodiments of the present invention address such needs.